The Moralization of Discomfort: A Conceptual Analysis of Discomfort, Criticism, and Self-Justification

Key Points

• The research aims to analyze how discomfort can become a basis for moral judgment without critical assessment, and to formulate a model for self-centered affective processing.
• Conceptual analysis of discomfort and moralization processes.
• Development of a five-element model for self-centered affective processing.
• Application of the framework to the context of Parasocial Proxy Punishment Mode in fan communities.
• Identified that discomfort often leads to unexamined moral judgments.
• Developed a structured model detailing the self-centered processing of discomfort.
• Explored implications for personal development and social interactions within fan communities.